"Sometimes all it takes to hide a broken heart
is a beautiful smile."
- Robin Williams

______

[Desirae]

               AFTER SCHOOL, Charlotte and Henry walked me to the Hart's house. It was slightly less fancy than Ms. Landfills, but I enjoyed it there.

They wanted to get to know me, so they asked me multiple questions and I asked them the same and it just went on like that until we ran out of questions to ask. They're really cool...

I'm sorry, it just feels weird having friends so quickly after what happened... Whatever, I shouldn't be wallowing about it. Anyways, I had to head home early, due to Ms. Landfills needing me to stop by this place called Junk N' Stuff.

What kind of store is named Junk N' Stuff? I mean seriously, is it a truck stop or something? She needed me to buy some sort of antique thing for her. I don't know what she plans to do with it, and why it couldn't wait because I was having a great time. I don't even want to know what she does all day while I'm at school and in bed or in my room doing homework. Seriously, I know I've only known her for a couple of weeks, but that woman scares me sometimes.

For some reason, it had started getting really moist and dark outside, which I hadn't thought was natural for Swellview. Shrugging it off, I pulled out my phone to use as a light source to make sure I didn't fall into a sewer or something.

As I was walking, my eyes drifting over the shops, I heard something.

It sounded off, echoing through the emptied streets, making me jump at the sudden moment.

Freezing in my spot, I surveyed my surroundings. Nothing was moving except for a couple of shadows that caught my eye behind a dumpster. Shivering, I began creeping towards it, running across the street, not that it mattered, no cars were around.

Out of curiously, and some stupidity, I moved forward, turning off my phone, and ran closer to where the noise came from. Pressing myself against the damp wall or a strip mall, another sound came, this time sounding like someone just got punched in the face.

I heard someone rasp an inaudible sentence, probably the guy who got punched.

Running closer, I wedged myself in between the small space in the middle of the wet strip mall and the dumpster, covering myself in shadows. This is probably the scariest thing I've ever done.

I knew I should just turn around and run to the Junk N' Stuff store, but for some reason I felt the need to stay.

There was another punch and a guy suddenly fell down, inches away from me. I gasped, but quickly covered my mouth before anyone heard it. He was wearing all black, with a sock wrapped around his face. If I didn't know any better, I would say he's a robber.

The guy lying on the ground picked himself up, but not before a man in a superhero costume jumped on top of him. Tilting my head to the side, I pulled out my phone and turned on the camera to video, recording this. Who knows? Maybe it'll come in handy.

But that didn't last long as other thugs dressed like the one on the ground dog-piled him.

I was seriously considering moving in to help the superhero guy, dressed in a suit of mixed pastels, but I thought it best to just keep recording.

Superhero guy shoved the others off of him, kicked some of them in the uprights making them fall to the ground, and finished off the rest of them by knocking them out and tying them up.

Letting out an internal groan that the fight was over, I clicked the STOP button on my phone and shut it off, saving the video for later.

Just then, police sirens sounded, coming from across the damp street, the blue and red lights shining over the dumpster, just missing my face. Cowering back further into the shadows, I shoved my phone into my pocket and watched intently as Superhero guy handed over the bunch of what I assumed to be burglars over to the police, who shoved them into the back seat.

They thanked him and drove off, leaving behind the Superhero guy, waiting in the hazy street lamp light. Cocking my head to the side slowly, I watched him as he pulled off his mask to reveal... Ray Manchester?

My jaw dropped open as he stretched a little and started walking out of the alley, his mask swinging in his hand.

I just sat there in shock watching him walk down the streets, finally getting up, deciding to follow him. That didn't last long for as soon as I was halfway standing up, I noticed one of the burglar guys hiding in the shadows before me, pressing his disgusting body against the building next to the strip mall.

I'm just saying: Henry is much cuter than any other guy I've seen today.

He appeared to have been hiding from the rest of his group and had what appeared to be resembling a dagger in his right hand.

My breath caught, but I shoved it aside, knowing that I had to do something; Ray was conspicuously unknowing that he was being followed back to... Wherever he was going. I still couldn't get over the fact that Ms. Landfills brother was a superhero.

Great.

Just great. And since he's practically family (at least, according to the adoption papers) it's technically my job to make sure he doesn't get a paper cut by a sweaty, pit stained ogre thinking that his beer belly isn't showing through that tacky robbing outfit.

What?

I told you, I've changed.

Rolling my eyes, I decided to stand up and moved out of the shadows, running across the street light, and slamming myself against the brick wall.

Biting my tongue to keep myself from yelling out in pain, I looked around the corner and saw Ray a couple of paces ahead and the robber (beer belly?) a little ways behind.

I ended up following him all the way across the street until Ray stopped in front of Junk N' Stuff to transform back into his regular clothes, and the burglar thought it best to try to attack him while his back was turned.

Ha, well if he thought he was going to get away with that, he was dead wrong.

He let out a startling cry as I ran up to him, punched him in the back, dragged my feet underneath him, making him fall to the ground, and stomped on him, grabbing the dagger and twirling it around in my fingers skillfully, before holding it out to Ray, who had seen the whole thing.

His jaw was dropped, staring at me with open eyes. If you're wondering, we both know who we are. I know who he is, he knows I am because Ms. Landfills made introductions a couple of days back.

"Desirae?" He cried out in shock. "What did you... How much did you-"

"I know you're a superhero, I saw you beat up those guys, and I took this one down for you," I said as Ray gently took the dagger, "and BTW, you've really got to check to make sure you've got every one because this one," I pointed to the man I was standing on, who was groaning in pain, "slipped by your oblivious eyes."

His mouth was agape the entire time as we took care of the guy and Ray took me into his shop.

I figured I could worry about the antique thing later, as I practically forced Ray to take me down to what he called 'The Lair'.

"Fine, but I have to warn you, Des. Nobody enjoys the elevator. Oh, and I still have to tell Ms. Landfills that you nearly killed a guy-"

"Who was your responsibility." I replied, as he pressed a button on the glowing elevator. "And you don't have to tell her anything."

"Yeah, I do, Des."

"No, you don't, or else I'll show her this," I said, unlocking my phone and pulling it up to the video of him fighting the guy, his eyes bugging out, "now, what were you say-"

But I never got to finish my sentence for the elevator decided to be extremely rude and made me feel like I was plummeting down to the abyss of the world while I screamed my lungs out.

Only the even bigger surprise was waiting right behind those closed doors.

.......................

....

Crap, I've got nothing to say...

Welp. Hope you're enjoying this book! Whoever is bothering to read it! 😔😐